PLAINVIEW, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Sarah Silva Wallace, principal of Plainview Independent School District’s North Elementary and Wayland Baptist University graduate, has received the 2023 Baptist Educators Serving Texans (BEST) Award from the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

According to Wayland officials, Dr. Bobby Hall, WBU president, presented the award to Wallace during the Oct. 26 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

In addition to the presentation Thursday, Wayland officials stated that Wallace is scheduled to be recognized in February 2024 during Wayland’s Homecoming celebration. Nine award recipients were selected, one from each Texas Baptist-affiliated university.

“We are so pleased to announce these splendid educators as this year’s recipients of the BEST Award,” said Bruce McCoy, Director of the Office of Cooperative Program Ministry for the BGCT. “Each of these top-tier educators are representative of thousands of our graduates who serve as ‘salt and light’ in the public schools across Texas. They are standard bearers for quality education and personal integrity.”

Wayland officials said that Wallace earned her bachelor’s degree in education in 1999, followed by her master’s degree in education in 2019 from Wayland. Wallace began her 19-year teaching career at North, then called Thunderbird Elementary, before becoming the assistant principal there. Wallace then spent a year as a language acquisition coach for Plainview schools and then a year as assistant principal at Plainview High. In 2022, Wallace became principal at her former school as the new building opened.

Besides her full-time job, Wayland officials also mentioned that Sarah serves with her husband at Happy Union Baptist Church in Plainview and serves on the Wayland Alumni Association board.